Christiaan Neethling Barnard, cardiac surgeon who performed the world's first successful human-to-human heart transplant.

Christiaan Neethling Barnard (8 November 1922 – 2 September 2001) was a South African cardiac surgeon who performed the world's first successful human-to-human heart transplant. Christiaan Barnard died in September 2001, while on holiday in Paphos, Cyprus. Early reports claimed that he had died of a heart attack, although an autopsy showed his death to be caused by a severe asthma attack

First heart transplant

Here is a list of famous people who’ve battled the disease in recent history. (The first confirmed cases of RA were probably in the late 1800s.)

Throughout THI's history, we have been at the forefront of cardiovascular discovery and innovation. In fact, some of the greatest inventions in the history of mankind have been made in Texas — in the heart of the Texas Medical Center, right here at Texas Heart Institute.